Uma Maheswarar Temple, Konerirajapuram – Worship
Practices & Festivals
Worship
Practices:
The temple priests perform
the pooja (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. Like other
Shiva temples of Tamilnadu, the priests belong to the Shaivite community,
a Brahmin sub-caste. The temple rituals are performed six times a day;
Ushathkalam at 5:30 a.m., Kalasanthi at 8:00 a.m., Uchikalam at 10:00 a.m.,
Sayarakshai at 6:00 p.m., Irandamkalam at 8:00 p.m. and Ardha Jamam at 10:00
p.m.
Each ritual comprises four
steps: Abhishekam (sacred bath), Alangaram (decoration), neivethanam (food
offering) and deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for both Uma Maheswarar and
Deha Sundari Amman. The worship is held amidst music with Nadaswaram (pipe
instrument) and tavil (percussion instrument), religious instructions in
the Vedas read by priests and prostration by worshippers in front of the
temple mast.
Festivals:
Two Brahmotsavams are celebrated
in this temple namely Vaikasi Visakam (May-Jun) and Margazhi Thiruvadhirai (Dec-Jan).
This temple is considered as one of the few temples where two Brahmotsavams are
celebrated in a year. The marriage ceremony on the sixth day of Vaikasi
Brahmotsavam is celebrated in grand fashion in this temple. Abhishekam is
performed to Nataraja six times in a year during the Tamil months of Chithirai, Aani,
Aavani, Purattasi, Margazhi and Masi.
Avani Vinayakar Chaturthi (Aug-Sep),
Aippasi Skanda Shashti (Oct–Nov), Aippasi Annabishekam (Oct–Nov) and Masi Shivrathri
(Feb-Mar) are the other festivals celebrated here. Monthly pradoshams are also
observed here. Mondays, Tuesdays & Fridays, Amavasai (new moon day),
Kiruthigai, Pournami (full moon day) and Chathurthi are considered
special here.
